American armed forces launched new strikes against Iran on Sunday, in retaliation for Iranian fire on a Cyprus-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran declared the waterway closed until further notice.
The attack on the GFS Galaxy
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it launched a new wave of strikes against Iran "following the blatant attack by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards against the M/V GFS Galaxy, a Cyprus-flagged container ship sailing in the Strait of Hormuz".
According to the CENTCOM update, "one crew member is missing and the vessel is unable to continue its voyage due to the fire that broke out and significant damage to the engine room".
Strait closed "until further notice"
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until further notice, after firing what they described as warning shots at a vessel that allegedly attempted to pass through an unapproved route.
According to Iranian state television, following the incident it was decided to close the Strait "until further notice" and "until American interference in the region ceases". It was also stressed that no vessel will be permitted to pass through the Strait, and that if the enemy uses the incident as a pretext to launch new attacks against the Islamic Republic, it will receive a "harsh response".
"Iran made a bad choice"
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Sunday that "Iran made a bad choice" by opening fire on a commercial vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, and that it is "now paying" the price.
Iranian media report that explosions were heard in several locations in southern Iran, citing among others the areas of Bandar Abbas, Sirik, Bushehr, Chabahar and Qeshm island.
Alarm in Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE
Alarms sounded in the early hours in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain over Iranian missile and drone attacks. The UAE Defence Ministry announced that air defences were activated to intercept missiles and drones launched from Iran.
Explosions were heard in the Qatari capital, where an AFP journalist witnessed interceptions of projectiles and residents received messages from the authorities on their mobile phones urging them to remain at home. Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, where the Interior Ministry called on citizens to remain calm and seek safe shelter.
